The lockdown means less traffic and less polluted air. But 45,000 sets of traffic lights still operate, producing 57,000 tons of CO2 every year, just from the electricity that powers them. Rarely reported is that lights produce congestion by blocking flow and preventing traffic from dispersing naturally. Scrapping most lights and letting traffic filter sociably (including foot traffic), would bring a permanent transformation in congestion and air quality, as well as in road safety and the economy.
